In the last few years, along with the growing demand for crossover SUVs and trucks, there's been a lot of chatter about American manufacturers removing passenger cars out of their lineup. In 2017, after only two years of being in the market, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) removed its Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart from their North American lineup. In the last year, Ford has slashed its entire passenger car lineup within the U.S., leaving only the Mustang and the Fusion.
In 2020, General Motors (G.M.) had revoked its Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Volt in the U.S. Then, stopped production of the Buick LaCrosse Cadillac CT6 and CT6-V and the Chevrolet Impala after shutting down three assembly plants. As of now, according to sources, G.M. plans to eliminate the mid-sized Malibu out of the North American lineup after its current model is scheduled to expire in 2024.
The Malibu Goes To The Grave
In a new report from G.M. Authority, the Malibu will not be available after the 2023 model year and will likely be wiped out before 2022's end. The medium cannot furnish an official source for this statement; however, they assert that the cease of production will be two years earlier than the schedule. The year 2023 was expected to be a pivotal calendar year for Malibu because the mid-sized sedan was envisioned to receive a redesign. In the beginning, General Motors was anticipated to keep the Malibu up until 2025. This would not be the case anymore.
In the spring of this time last year, General Motors chose to stop the development of new vehicles due to the complications and losses caused by the coronavirus. Therefore, the announcement to not refresh the Malibu and prepone the date for its end doesn't sound crazy. In addition, Malibu isn't soaring off dealerships in recent times.
Chevrolet desired to get rid of its "Rental Car" style and driving performance of the Malibu and replaced it with more sporty styling and three new powertrain options. One of which is a Hybrid model. The present (and 9th-generation) Chevrolet Malibu was introduced in 2016. In the same year, it was sold in conjunction with its predecessor of the eighth generation, the Malibu Limited, to meet the demand. Although sales numbers have fluctuated in the past two years, in its current generation, Malibu acquired 227,881 units. But, after its debut and three years following its revamp, sales have drastically decreased.
Chevrolet sold only 144,542 units of the Malibu in 2018, which were primarily assigned for rental or fleet usage (the very objective Chevrolet wanted to avoid). In addition, even though G.M. was hoping to attract more attention to the Malibu by introducing a mid-cycle refresh to 2019 (which included the launch of a new sporty RS Trim level), G.M. still sold more trucks and SUV's than cars for personal use (yes this also includes Camaro as well as the Corvette) and has placed Malibu in a downwards spiral that is expected to lead to its demise eventually. Do you remember your Chevy Malibu? Have you owned or hired one?
Extinction Of The Entry-Level Sedan
It appears that Chevrolet is heading in the same direction as Ford and decided it will no longer be selling passenger automobiles within North America besides the iconic Mustang. After the demise of Malibu, the compact Sonic hatchback and sedan will be the sole small car Chevrolet will offer within North America. However, G.M. Authority believes that the Sonic might also be on the chopping block. Carsdirect says that the USA is the only market in which the Sonic is still in use and has been sunk across Mexico, Korea, and Canada to house the Onix.
If it is true, the demise of Malibu is a grim picture. The removal of sedans from models has been the primary method used by automakers to reduce expenses as customers shift towards SUVs and crossovers. While classics like those of the Camry, Altima, and Accord outsold the Malibu and Accord, their numbers have dipped over time. People want the higher seat, the option of all-wheel drive, more cargo space, and the perceived security that SUVs and crossovers can provide over sedans.
What Options We Are Left With?
Although Malibu is still in existence for a while, shortly, consumers will have to choose between other models such as the Camry, Altima, Accord, Optima, Sonata, Subaru Legacy, Mazda6, and Volkswagen Passat, if they want an entry-level sedan. Compared to other rivals in this segment and other models, the Malibu did not perform well due to the absence of a hybrid-powered powertrain, a sloppy interior design, and a limited range of safety features standards. This may not seem a significant disadvantage; however, the midsize sedan market is competitive. A few problems are made worse because every automaker strives to be the best by offering the ideal vehicle.